French duo edges Chock and Bates for Olympic ice dance gold

The three-time World champions lose the one major title that has eluded them by a little over a point.

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Evan Bates and Madison Chock, the three-time World champions, were edged out by the French duo of Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron for the Olympic ice dance gold medal at the Milano Cortina Olympic Games. Chock and Bates, who are married, had been heavy favorites after winning the last three World Championships and Grand Prix finals, but ultimately fell short by just over a point.

Why it matters

Chock and Bates have been one of the top ice dance teams in the world for over a decade, and the Olympic gold medal was the one major title that had eluded them. Their loss to the French duo, who only began skating together last year, was a surprise and a disappointment for the American pair, who were seeking to cap their storied career with the elusive Olympic gold.

The details

Chock and Bates, the 2022 Olympic bronze medalists, appeared to have the gold medal within their grasp after a strong free dance performance. However, Fournier Beaudry and Cizeron, the last team to perform, edged them out by just over a point with a score of 225.82 to 224.39. Cizeron's second consecutive Olympic gold medal completed a remarkable comeback after his high-profile 2024 breakup with longtime partner Gabriella Papadakis.

  • Chock and Bates finished their free dance on Wednesday night at the Milano Ice Skating Arena.
  • Fournier Beaudry and Cizeron performed their free dance immediately after Chock and Bates.

The players

Evan Bates

A 36-year-old American ice dancer who has been partnered with Madison Chock for 15 years, including as a married couple since 2024.

Madison Chock

A 33-year-old American ice dancer from Redondo Beach, California, who has been partnered with Evan Bates for 15 years, including as a married couple since 2024.

Laurence Fournier Beaudry

A French ice dancer who, along with her partner Guillaume Cizeron, edged out Chock and Bates for the Olympic gold medal.

Guillaume Cizeron

A French ice dancer who, along with his partner Laurence Fournier Beaudry, edged out Chock and Bates for the Olympic gold medal. Cizeron previously won the 2022 Olympic title with his former partner Gabriella Papadakis.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Oh, my God, we're still in shock. We had such a special time on the ice today.”

— Guillaume Cizeron (Instagram)

“It's definitely a bittersweet feeling. At the moment, we have so much to be proud of. We've had the most incredible career, 15 years on the ice together, first Olympics as a married couple, and delivered four of our best performances this week.”

— Madison Chock (ocregister.com)

“In life, sometimes you can feel like you do everything right and it doesn't go your way. That's life, and that's sport, and it's a subjective sport. It's a judged sport. But one fact that is indisputable is that we delivered our best. We skated our best. We did our best almost every single time.”

— Evan Bates (ocregister.com)

The takeaway

Chock and Bates' narrow defeat in their pursuit of the Olympic ice dance gold medal after a storied career highlights the subjective nature of judged sports, where even delivering one's best may not be enough to secure the top prize. Their bittersweet experience underscores the challenges elite athletes face in chasing the one title that has eluded them, despite their sustained excellence over many years.